Cape Town certainly does bless us with sunny Winter’s days. Here are some fun outdoor kid’s activities to enjoy with your little ones to get out and about in the sunshine.

OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

Acrobranch

Acrobranch is a fun, outdoor obstacle and activity course for kids, teenagers and adults that takes you through the Constantia Nek forest on swinging bridges, ziplines, Tarzan swings and treetop adventures. There are two courses dedicated to kids and one obstacle course for teenagers and adults. Kids from age 3 can participate. Click here to read more.

1 Hout Bay Main Road, Constantia Nek | Tel: 021 – 201 1121 | www.acrobranch.co.za

Bike Park Constantia Uitsig

The Bike Park at Constantia Uitsig offers cyclists of all ages and skill levels laps and laps of fun featuring a variety of cross-country track. Bikes are available to hire. Open 7 days a week from 8am to 6:30pm.

Spaanschemat River Road, Constantia Uitsig | Tel: 081 833 4488 | www.bikeparkatuitsig.co.za

Blue Train Park

Visit the Blue Train Playpark and ride on the iconic Blue Train in Mouille Point and let the kids run wild in their huge play park.

Beach Rd, Mouille Point | Tel: 084 314 9200 | www.thebluetrainpark.co.za

City Sightseeing Bus and Boat

The annual Kids’ City Sightseeing Special is back. Kids are FREE on the City Sightseeing Bus and Boat with the purchase of one adult one-day bus ticket and one adult ticket on the harbour cruise. The special runs from 1 May to 8 October 2017 and is valid on weekends, school holidays and public holidays. There is a kids auditory channel to keep them informed and entertained. Kids under 5 are always FREE!

Dock Road, V&A Waterfront | Tel: 086 173 3287 | www.citysightseeing.co.za 

Company’s Garden and Restaurant

Stroll through the Company’s Garden with the kids, have a meal at the Company’s Garden Restaurant and laugh at the adorable friendly squirrels. The Company’s Garden Restaurant is inspired by its natural surroundings and is an enchanting, causal family friendly restaurant where kids can play in weaved, human sized bird nests or on carved animals while you eat and keep an eye on them. There is also a human sized chess board.

Queen Victoria Street, CBD | Tel: 021 – 423 2919 | www.thecompanysgarden.com

Cool Runnings

This is tons of fun for all riding downhill on a sled at an outdoor toboggan track. This is the only toboggan track in Africa! The sled races down a 1.2 km steel half pipe. Children age 8 and above can ride alone while children under 8 need to ride with an adult. Kids from age 3 can ride. Click here to read more.

Carl Cronje Drive, Bellville (opposite the Bellville Velodrome) | Tel: 021 – 949 4439 | www.coolrunnings.com

Green Point Urban Park

The best play park in Cape Town is located next to the famous Cape Town Stadium where you will Green Point Urban Park and Biodiversity Garden. This is the perfect place for the little ones to play and release their energy and it is suitable for all ages. There are two different play areas to choose from divided into the Tot-Lot Play Area suitable for ages 1 – 6, which is fenced. This area is great for the little adventurers and perfectly safe. The Adventure Play Park is for older kids, they say from 7 – 16.

1 Fritz Sonnenberg Rd, Green Point | Open daily 7am to 7pm | Tel: 021 – 417 0111

Imhoff Farm

Blue Water Café is a family fun café serving tasty breakfasts and wood-fired pizzas with spectacular mountain and oceans views overlooking Noordhoek Beach. The restaurant is set in a lovely secure garden for the little ones to play in and has a magical faraway tree with tree house, a slide and jungle gym. Visit the petting zoo Higgledy Piggeldy Farmyard, get lost at Maze World and visit the Snake Park.

Kommetjie Road, Kommetjie | Tel: 021 – 783 4545 | www.imhofffarm.co.za

Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens

The magnificent Kirstenbosch Gardens is the perfect place for kids to learn and experience the best of nature, walk through the gardens and experience the Tree Canopy Walkway “Boomslang”, meaning Tree Snake, designed in the shape of a snakes skeleton. On exhibition in the Cycad Amphitheatre, and visible from Boomslang, is the amazing life sized Dinosaur sculptures made from tin. You are welcome to enjoy a picnic in the gardens. Kids under 17 years of age enter for free in the School Holidays 🙂

There are two workshops for kids:
Biodiversity and Waste Holiday Art Workshop: 19 July
Nature’s Treasure Box Holiday Art Workshop: 20 July

Kids visiting Moyo Restaurant for a meal will be treated to a holiday entertainment programme from 1 – 23 July between 10am & 4pm.

Rhodes Drive, Newlands | Tel: 021 – 799 8783 | www.sanbi.org 

Ratanga Junction July Jol: 14 – 23 July

An outdoor Theme Park with over 30 attractions and 23 rides ranging from roller coasters to carousels you will
find rides suitable for the whole family and kids of all ages. Discounted tickets available on Webtickets from 24 June.

Cape Theme Park, Century Blvd, Century City | Tel: 021 – 550 8504 | www.ratanga.co.za

Table Mountain

It’s Kidz Season at Table Mountain! Two kids ride FREE on the Cableway with the purchase of one return adult ticket. This offer runs from May 1 to September 30 and is valid on weekends, public holidays, and during the July school holidays!

 

V&A Waterfront

There is plenty of entertainment for kids at the Waterfront with two plays areas at the Shopping Wharf and Clock Tower. Take the kids for a harbour cruise or on the Jolly Roger Pirate Boat, which is hugely popular with kids. They will love the Pirate show! Ride the Cape Wheel, visit the Two Oceans Aquarium and ride on the Hamley’s Train.

WINE FARMS

I Love the Winelands! There are SO many exceptional wine Estates to visit with kids:

• Constantia & Noordhoek: Groot Constantia, Cape Point Vineyards
• Stellenbosch: Spier, Middlevlei, Mulderbosch, Marianne, Mont Marie, Tokara, Vergenoegd
• Somerset West: Vergelegen, Lourensford
• Paarl: Spice Route, Under Oaks, Laborie
• Franschhoek: Leopard’s Leap (closed till 14 July)

Visit my website for more details on Child Friendly Wine Estates.

ANIMAL ENCOUNTERS

Drakenstein Lion Park and Chimp Haven

Visit this incredible sanctuary for rescued lions from abusive situations and is an incredible sanctuary providing lifetime care in a safe environment and providing the animals with compassion and the respect they deserve. This is truly an incredible experience while supporting a worthy cause.

Old Paarl Road (R101), Paarl | Tel: 021 – 863 3290 | www.lionrescue.org.za

Giraffe House Wildlife Awareness Centre

A lovely animal experience for kids and lots of fun for the whole family. It provides an educational experience on African wildlife and bird species. Education is the main focus with a wildlife educational programme where the conservation message is conveyed in an appealing way to the little ones. Open 7 days a week from 9am – 5pm.

Old Paarl Road (R101) & R304, Stellenbosch | Tel: 021 – 884 4506 | www.giraffehouse.co.za

Eagle Encounters

This a non-profit wildlife rehabilitation, conservation, education and eco-tourism centre based on the Spier Wine Farm. This is a rehabilitation centre for birds of prey that have been injured, poisoned, abused or hand-reared.

Spier Wine Estate, R310 Baden Powell Road, Stellenbosch | Tel: 021 – 858 1826 | www.eagle-encounters.co.za 

 

Higgeldy Piggeldy Farmyard at Imhoff Farm

This is one of the best petting zoos I have seen. There are lots of animals to pet and feed, the kids will absolutely love it. The Blue Water Café next door is a great child friendly restaurant for a meal.

Kommetjie Road, Kommetjie | Tel: 021 – 783 4545 | www.imhofffarm.co.za

Penguins @ Boulders Beach

Boulders beach is home to an endangered colony of the cutest African Penguins, one of the only colonies in the world, it’s impossible not to fall in love with these adorable waddling webbed birds. Boulders beach forms part of Table Mountain National Park and consists of three pristine beaches. It is a wonderful beach for children as the massive boulders protect the waters from wind, waves and currents and provides a calm swimming environment. The water is also warmer and you will find small rock pools and sandy coves to explore, perfect for the little ones to play in.

1 Kleintuin Rd, Boulders Beach, Simons Town | Tel: 021 – 786 2329 | www.sanparks.org

Two Oceans Aquarium

The aquarium displays over 3000 marine species including sharks, fish, turtles and penguins with large viewing windows. The displays are well laid out and presented with educational information on all species and raised viewing platforms for children. There is an interactive Touch Pool and a Microscope Exhibit offering a hands on opportunity to touch kelp, starfish, anemones and hermit crabs. The little ones will love the puppet show which takes place daily, three times a day at 10:30am, 1:30pm and 4pm downstairs in the AfriSam Children’s Play Centre, where they can also create artwork and play.

Dock Road, V&A Waterfront | Tel: 021 – 418 3823 | www.aquarium.co.za

World of Birds Wildlife Sanctuary and Monkey Park

Set in a tropical garden there are over 3000 birds and small animals to view of 400 different species. You can watch the penguins, pelicans or birds of prey being fed or have a personal encounter with a monkey. The cheeky squirrel monkeys provide plenty of entertainment, the kids will absolutely love this experience. The Monkey Jungle is open from 11:30am to 1pm, and 2 to 3:30pm. The talking parakeet with have your children in fits of laughter.

Valley Rd, Hout Bay | Tel: 021 – 790 2730 | Open daily from 9am – 5pm | www.worldofbirds.org.za